SUMMARY
Judge Paul Phillips
Sixth Circuit Court
Counties Served: Campbell, Crook, Weston
Specialty Courts: Felony Treatment Court (presides over);
Board chair of Felony Treatment Court and DUI Court.
Current Judicial Committee or Boards:
Access to Justice Commission, “Big Reform” subcommittee; Commission on Judicial Conduct and Ethics; Permanent Rules Advisory Committee, Evidence Division.
Election Years: 2018, 2022
Circuit Court judges serve four year terms.
Circuit courts hear all misdemeanor criminal cases and civil cases where less than $50,000 is sought. Circuit courts also hear family violence, stalking, and forcible entry and detainer cases. The circuit courts may set bail for people accused of crimes, and conduct preliminary hearings in felony cases.
(Wyoming State Bar, Judicial Branch FAQ page)
JUDICIAL HISTORY
Gubernatorial Appointment: Appointed by Governor Matt Mead on October 25, 2016, to replace Judge Terrill R. Tharp.
Past General Election Retention Results:
In 2018 General Election Judge Phillips received 13,594 Yes votes against 2,810 No votes and 2,649 Under Votes.
Rating of Judge from Wyoming State Bar Judicial Advisory Polls:
“Judicial advisory polls are used by Bar associations to provide feedback to judicial officials about their performance on the bench and to help the public make more informed judgments in judicial elections. Guidelines established by the American Bar Association (ABA) state that the primary goal of judicial evaluation is “… to improve the performance of individual judges and the judiciary as a whole.” The Wyoming State Bar undertook its first judicial advisory poll in 1976 and has completed one each election year since.”
https://www.wyomingbar.org/about-us/resource-page/
2018
On page 8 of the 2018 Wyoming State Bar Judicial Advisory Poll the following results were reported for Judge Phillips:
Out of 19 respondents: 94.7% Favored Retention; 5.3% Opposed Retention
2022
From the Judicial Performance Assessment, 2022 for Hon. Paul Sanford Phillips:
Out of 26 respondents 15 Favored Retention; 5 Opposed Retention; and 6 gave No Opinion.
MISC BIO INFO
Education: Attended George Mason University School of Law in Arlington, Virginia, during the evenings while assigned to the Pentagon (source)
Years of WY Residency:
Out of State Residencies, if any:
Birth Year/Place:
Previous Work: Private practice of law in Gillette for over 10 years. Prior to that, he served as a law clerk for the District Court Judges of the 6th Judicial District. From 1982 to 2002, he served in the United States Army, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. He concluded his military service at the Pentagon, serving as a spokesman for the Secretary of Defense. Circuit Court Magistrate, District Court Commissioner, Hearing Officer for the Campbell County Board of Commissioners, and Judge for the Campbell County Adult Felony Treatment Court, (source);
Business Interests:
Family Members in Business or Government:
Memberships/Organizations: Adult Treatment Courts Board;
BIO Snippets from Misc Sources:
Phillips served in the U.S. Army from 1982 to 2002. His professional law experience includes working as a law clerk and as an attorney in private practice.
Ballotpedia
Noteworthy Articles:
2022, May: Fiancé of missing woman arrested for allegedly stealing from her
2022, April: After 278 days in jail, Dennis Gross finally transferred to state hospital for evalutation
2021, Aug: Wyoming judge thriller writer to publish 3rd novel
2020, June: Gillette vehicular homicide case sent to district court
2019, June: Judge lauds impact of 24-7, treatment court programs
Misc:
